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Greater Noida resident defrauded of ₹51 Lakh on Telegram

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A 31-year-old resident of Greater Noida was deceived out of ₹51 lakh after being enticed into a fake investment scheme through Telegram. The fraudulent activities occurred between January 18 and January 22, prompting a formal complaint to be filed with the local cybercrime branch.

The victim, who resides in Sector 16B of Greater Noida West and works for a private firm, reported that he initially received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number on January 18.

The sender, identifying herself as ‘Pallavi,’ promised lucrative returns for completing certain tasks. Trusting the proposition, the victim was subsequently added to a Telegram group where he received instructions related to cryptocurrency investments.

Over four days, the victim transferred a staggering ₹51,63,277 through 32 separate transactions, enticed by the promise of significant profits. According to the First Information Report (FIR) seen by Hindustan Times, the victim was asked to make smaller deposits ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹8,000, which escalated as the tasks progressed.

The victim’s portfolio soon reflected a profit of ₹60 lakh, but attempts to withdraw the amount were thwarted by demands for additional funds under the guise of processing fees and other charges, said Ranjeet Kumar Singh, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the cybercrime branch.

When the victim discussed the situation with a friend, he soon realised that it was a scam in progress. Authorities registered a case under Section 318 (cheating) and 319 (cheating by personation) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.

Telegram has emerged as a favourite of cyber scammers.

As investigations are underway, police officers caution people to be wary of any such offer on the internet that promises high returns, particularly involving cryptocurrency.

India, with its massive population, has seen a surge in cyber fraud incidents. Reports indicate that over 90 government websites recently hosted scam links. One prevalent tactic is the ‘digital arrest’ scam, in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement. In a recent case, a Broader Security Force (BSF) inspector was duped out of ₹71 lakh through such a scheme.

While authorities and businesses are ramping up efforts to counter online fraud, challenges persist. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has instructed telecom service providers (TSPs) to block international calls falsely appearing as local numbers.

Additionally, a two-tiered system has been launched to identify and prevent such spoof calls. In a large-scale crackdown, the DoT also deactivated 2.2 lakh mobile devices linked to fraudulent activities.

Similarly, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has implemented stricter measures against spam calls. Last year, telecom operators were mandated to scrutinise text messages for suspicious web links, phone numbers, and app-related content to prevent scams.

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Kumar Hemant

Kumar Hemant

Deputy Editor at Candid.Technology. Hemant writes at the intersection of tech and culture and has a keen interest in science, social issues and international relations. You can contact him here: kumarhemant@pm.me

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